Best posts made by GeorgeB

@SSmith1226
Our band does a medley of theme songs from tv comedies in the 60s and The Adams Family is one of them. We even have to click our fingers. A fun piece to play.

Yeah, none of those gadgets for me. I know a lot a people will disagree with me, but I don't even buzz. I found the time is better spent with the horn on my face.

Personally, I'd like to see our band do more of the old standards. I am honestly not a big band player. I much preferred playing lead with a small combo like I did for 12 years in my teens and twenties. However, even though, as one of two First trumpet players, we don't get to play melody in our band's arrangement of The Way We Were, I do enjoy the company of my fellow musicians, and do like the full sound of the band when I listen to the recording someone did on their I-Phone.

@BigDub said in Set lists:

@Dr-Mark said in Set lists:

Hi BigDub,
Yes, I would talk to the director. Lugging a NYC phone book sized set list is just crazy. If he/she wants that level of freedom, the set list needs to be digitized so you guys can carry all the songs on an IPad. If it's on an iPad, there's ease of portability, ease for the director because the songs can be pulled up alphabetically, and once its digitized, everyone can have access in case some of the songs get lost or destroyed which frees up the person responsible for getting the sheet music to the people.

To be clear, it’s not the set list that is the problem. It’s the impulsive nature of the director. He gets a stray thought in the middle of the concert and decides we should do a number not part of the set list.
We have probably over a hundred possible tunes we could do, including many marches I have never played yet. That comes up during a concert at times as well.....let’s play so and so march.....I look over to my section mate, "never heard of it", he says, oh, I think we played that about ten years ago, once.

My director and your director must be related, Wayne. What you stated happens now and then to me. But once is enough. I have only been with this band since April and there are many marches and a medley or two in our current play book I have not even had a chance to look at let alone play. But I like the guy so I don't complain.

In my younger playing days ( 1953-65 ) I, like many other younger players, wanted to sound like Harry James. So yeah, I over did the vibrato thing back then, but since my comeback in 2016 I only use vibrato where I feel it enhances the piece I am playing. An example would be sustained notes in a phrase.

@amzi

I admire Kehaulani greatly for his courage and determination and I will now add your name to the list, amzi. My very best wishes go out to you.

@neal085 Wow, I had never heard that song by Satchmo. Everything about it is such a departure for the great one. Beautiful. Thanks.

Fantastic. I loved it. Thanks.

@flugelgirl said in Longest Layoff:

I become a very dark and mean person when I’m not playing enough - one of the many reasons I’ve never stopped. I like who I am a whole lot better when I’m playing, and so does everyone else!

Especially your husband if you are married...

@Dr-Mark said in Thoughts about mouthpiece placement:

@Tobylou8
Damned! Is that a peanut allergy!?! Kinda looks like two bottom feeders.

Ha, ha, I just fell out of my chair laughing...

@BigDub said : if I have to sit in front of the drums I sometimes end up with a headache.

The brass section in our band is the back row and the drums are always situated directly behind me. No headaches, just constant concern for my hearing. The good thing, though, is that I feel the rhythm from the tips of my toes to the top of my head.

@J-Jericho
A very interesting video. With some of today's music I scratch my head, listen closely and try to make some sense of it, but I can't. IMHO, music without melody ( and all the things that make melody ) just isn't music and my ears just can't stand it.

Wow, just listening to that tired me out. Mendez was really special, wasn't he.

Boy, notice how much Kirk Douglas sounds like Harry James....hmmm !!!!

@Dr-GO said in DUH!! I finally figured it out, after all these years! (playing with minimal pressure):

@ButchA said in DUH!! I finally figured it out, after all these years! (playing with minimal pressure):

I played a gig tonight (6:00 - 8:00) at a local pub here in town, as a prelude to the annual Oktoberfest... a simple adjustment to my embouchure!

I can see the frown!

Me, too, Butch ! Good for you in finding the frown.
Now I usually get that look when I see a bunch of As and Bs ahead of me...

@Dr-GO said in Can Playing with Musicians Out of Tune Give You a Headache?:

@GeorgeB said in Can Playing with Musicians Out of Tune Give You a Headache?:
The brass section in our band is the back row and the drums are always situated directly behind me... I feel the rhythm from the tips of my toes to the top of my head.

Now that has got to be the longest path of radiating tremor I have ever heard in my clinical career.

you should see me when we play at gospel church services...

Straight mute, cup mute, Harmon wow- wow, bucket, and hardware store plunger.

No church services, but the band will be playing back to back concerts twice a week for the next three weeks at local nursing homes. This, along with playing on a float at a Christmas parade are annual events for this band. Busy. Busy.

@bigdub
Hi Wayne. I got unlocked by using Google today. I sure didn't get any help from the administrator, even though I got his e-mail address and sent him several notes. Oh, well...if I get locked out again I will say farewell to TB.

About glasses. Reading glasses and my regular glasses didn't work for reading music. I got a special pair of glasses for that .Measurements were taken of how far I sit from the music stand. I've been using them for 4 years now, though I had to change the lens last fall. These glasses work just fine.

@ButchA
Great job, Butch.
You sent me a really nice backing track for If I Loved You. I'm surprised you didn't use it here.
Take care , buddy.